THEATRE GOSSIP #594: "THE NEW CABARET WAS A HORRENDOUS IDEA INEPTLY EXECUTED" EDITION

It was better than the new Pirates!

John Stamos dead, Zendaya dead, Dead Outlaw dead!!!

Is David Cromer fucking Andrew Durand? I'd pay Broadway prices to watch that.

Bea Arthur is a Herbie, not a Rose.

R3, me, too!

I must have the new thread creator on F/F. I start with R1.

I avoided Cabaret this time around until a friend joined the cast. I loved it, especially Peck.

I loved it when I saw it with Andrew Lambert and Auli'i Cravalho, R7. Both of them gave very fine performances.

I really think that dreadful, bizarre performance of Eddie Redmayne soured people on this production.

Bring. It. Back!! I cannot be that difficult to revive.

^^*It*

What a come-down the Broadway CABARET must have been for Eddie Redmayne.

He won the Olivier and was the toast of London in a hit show with rave reviews. Then he comes to NY, and the reviews are mixed at best, and he was never going to win the Tony.

DeShields could still do it!

R12 Yes, and now doing the Nell Carter track!

R6: “I must have the new thread creator on F/F. I start with [R1].”

Swallow your pride like you swallowed loads at Pride and unblock OP.

Or not

The new thread title is DREADFUL!

If I'm asked (admittedly not that often) to name productions in my lifetime that I consider perfect, the original AIN'T MISBEHAVIN' always tops the list.

[quote]So, exactly how much internalized homophobia and self loathing do you harbor, sweetheart?

Do you realize you just said that in your gay voice, cupcake ?

Now that most of this season's flops have closed (c'mon already Boop!), can we push for the too-long-running Chicago, Hadestown, &Juliet, Six, The Book of Mormon, Harry Potter and Moulin Rouge to shutter and go away and make room for new shit?,

I left out Wicked, The Lion King, Aladdin and Hamilton cause they're still raking it in.

Probably should have included MJ and Hell's Kitchen (too noisy!).

There had been rumors a few months ago that 'Six', '& Juliet' and 'Moulin Rouge!' was supposed to be closing at the end of this summer, but I haven't heard anything since.

I saw "Cabaret" last summer with Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin. I agree, it was a horrendous idea, ineptly executed.

Redmayne played the emcee like a Batman villain, and the producers' attempt to completely disengage Sally Bowles from the Liza template (impossible and foolhardy, imo) by recasting her as a Courtney Love-style grunge/kinderwhore types did not work *at all.*

Frecknall is a lousy director. First Cabaret, then Streetcar. I hear she's going to fuck up Death Of A Salesman next.

One more week and nobody will ever have to hear "Andy Payne" from Dead Outlaw ever again!

R23 is going to be more of a Death of a Shopbottom

the Jimmy's are live!

streaming through June 26 I believe

(every time you spot a future Datalounger....down a shot)

R26 "the award show for those who want to be spit on by Jonathan Groff" from the opening monologue

[Quote] Now that most of this season's flops have closed (c'mon already Boop!), can we push for the too-long-running Chicago, Hadestown, &Juliet, Six, The Book of Mormon, Harry Potter and Moulin Rouge to shutter and go away and make room for new shit?,

There’s sad thing is most of the new shit is just shitty too

I saw Eddie walking the midtown streets last year with his family. He looked very happy

Who will be in the 2027 revivals of Gypsy and Cabaret? You know they are coming, new and improved! What about Annie and 12 Angry Men? I hear Glengarry is due for another revival too.

The rest of the family was screaming: Rats!!

Can we get a new female ODD COUPLE? Maybe Patti and Mia.

^^ I just said that to (try to) be funny... I rather detest Neil Simon. Which of his works have been revived on Broadway since his death?

Do you think his crap will fade away (aside from community theater) or will it grow in reputation and stature as the years pass?

The only Broadway revival to date of a Neil Simon play since his 2018 death was Plaza Suite in 2022.

Next year, Sydney Sweeney IS the Star-Spangled Girl!

And Cheno is The Gingerbread Lady

Please let Cole Escola be the Star-Spangled Girl!

[quote]I must have the new thread creator on F/F. I start with [R1].

How lovely to be ignored by you, R6. One of my proudest accomplishments :-)

[quote]Do you realize you just said that in your gay voice, cupcake ?

Whatever voice I said it in, R18, I know the truth hurts, so you must be hurting big-time.

Billy Porter and Dylan Mulvaney as Paul and Corie Bratter in Barefoot in the Ramble!

Tom Wopat In COME BLOW MY HORN!

I saw "Cabaret" last summer with Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin. I agree, it was a horrendous idea, ineptly executed. Redmayne played the emcee like a Batman villain, and the producers' attempt to completely disengage Sally Bowles from the Liza template (impossible and foolhardy, imo) by recasting her as a Courtney Love-style grunge/kinderwhore types did not work *at all.*

[quote]I agree about Redmayne. Absolutley dreadful. Subsequent Emcees have been much more successful in this revival. I'm not sure I agree with the characterization of Sally being "disengaged from the Liza template," though. The film is its own thing... completely refashioned around Liza, of course. But, I don't think the Sally from the celebrated (and massively successful) Mendes revival was a transfer of the Liza Sally. I recognize that the revival incorporated a lot of the film songs that Liza originated, but, I don't see the Natasha Richardson generation of Sallys to be doing a "Liza". They were their own thing. If anything, they were an update to the Jill Haworth / Judi Dench Sally.

I don't know if original directors work much with subsequent casts, but I thought the Broadway Sally who was in the role prior to the current one... the actress who was there the same time as Adam Lambert... was absolutely fantastic. I was also pleasantly surprised that although she, yes, had some of that harshness around the edges for sure, she injected a LOT more musicality and charm into her vocal performances than I recall seeing in the earlier London and NY Sallys from this revival. Honestly, if she and Adam Lambert had opened this production, I 100% think it would have earned better reviews because both of them were still true to this revival's tone and concept, BUT, both of them were vocally sublime and infinitely more charming than their predecessors.

Sorry, I fucked up the formatting of my post at R42. The first paragraph should have been the one I quoted from R22 / jeangenie. I'll repost below......

*********************ORIGINAL POST AT R42 SHOULD HAVE READ....***************

[QUOTE]I saw "Cabaret" last summer with Eddie Redmayne and Gayle Rankin. I agree, it was a horrendous idea, ineptly executed. Redmayne played the emcee like a Batman villain, and the producers' attempt to completely disengage Sally Bowles from the Liza template (impossible and foolhardy, imo) by recasting her as a Courtney Love-style grunge/kinderwhore types did not work *at all.*

I agree about Redmayne. Absolutley dreadful. Subsequent Emcees have been much more successful in this revival. I'm not sure I agree with the characterization of Sally being "disengaged from the Liza template," though. The film is its own thing... completely refashioned around Liza, of course. But, I don't think the Sally from the celebrated (and massively successful) Mendes revival was a transfer of the Liza Sally. I recognize that the revival incorporated a lot of the film songs that Liza originated, but, I don't see the Natasha Richardson generation of Sallys to be doing a "Liza". They were their own thing. If anything, they were an update to the Jill Haworth / Judi Dench Sally.

I don't know if original directors work much with subsequent casts, but I thought the Broadway Sally who was in the role prior to the current one... the actress who was there the same time as Adam Lambert... was absolutely fantastic. I was also pleasantly surprised that although she, yes, had some of that harshness around the edges for sure, she injected a LOT more musicality and charm into her vocal performances than I recall seeing in the earlier London and NY Sallys from this revival. Honestly, if she and Adam Lambert had opened this production, I 100% think it would have earned better reviews because both of them were still true to this revival's tone and concept, BUT, both of them were vocally sublime and infinitely more charming than their predecessors.

*********************REACTION TO R43 and R42..... NEEDS TO BE SAID***************

Chill out, Mary! We overlooked the fuck up and were able to read your long post.

Any Nor Cal gals seen Datalounge favorite KAREN ZIEMBA's Dolly Levi at the Sacramento Music Fair?

[quote]Whatever voice I said it in, [R18], I know the truth hurts, so you must be hurting big-time.

Going from your 'knowledge', if you said something true, it must be hurting me big time. However, none of what you said is true. So continue if you wish, as long as you...

STOP talking in your gay voice! You have purses falling out of your mouth every time you speak.

Marjorie Prime is coming to Broadway in the fall.

It has a choice role for a woman of a certain age.

Lois Smith played the role in the movie and in 2015.

Any rumors for who is doing the Broadway transfer?

I would love to see someone like Stockard Channing or Blythe Danner in the role.

I saw the great Brit actress Anne Reid in Marjorie Prime at the Menier Chocolate Factory a few years ago. Such a dumb play, even she couldn't save it.

Loïs will do it.

Is Cherry Jones too young?

Yes, r50. Though Cherry must be 70 by now the character should really look at least 85 or so.

Hmmmm, how to get past that issue?🤔

R47 there are worse things she could do.

Stockard is doing the revival of Prisoner Of Second Avenue.

[Quote] Stockard is doing the revival of Prisoner Of Second Avenue.

Has her face settled yet? The plastic surgery was positively gruesome

[quote]STOP talking in your gay voice! You have purses falling out of your mouth every time you speak.

And you have tired cliches falling out of your mouth, like little turds out of your asshole.

[quote]Any Nor Cal gals seen Datalounge favorite KAREN ZIEMBA's Dolly Levi at the Sacramento Music Fair?

Did they interpolate a banjo solo for Karen?

Jake Shears (in London) was my favorite Emcee of the ones I have seen in this current production (which only included Eddie Redmayne’s creepy, crazed Kermit). Shears was simply phenomenal and is now my new standard for the role.

Victoria Clark in KIMBERLY did not look 85.

Tabitha

Grosses are out.

Curiously, everything got a bump last week except for the Tony-winning Maybe Happy Ending and Oh, Mary!

How do you explain that??

[Quote] Jake Shears (in London) was my favorite Emcee of the ones I have seen in this current production

I bet he played the role as sexy as hell

Comparing Audra and Patti on Rose’s Turn

"Chess" best not be counting on the Broadhurst.

[QUOTE] I bet he played the role as sexy as hell

Sexy, but scary. Like, “If you don’t get on your knees and blow me right now, you’re getting on that train.”

Stephen Sondheim on the creation of Rose's Turn - 2003

[QUOTE] As I'm sure many people here know, the story is that Marsha Mason saw an early run-through or presentation of the show and explained this to Bennett et al., who to their credit realized she was absolutely right.

This Marsha Mason factoid is covered in a Michael Bennett story in the short story collection “Better Davis and Other Stories” where Bennett is the protagonist and the point-of-view character. He is very drunk and coked up at a party in 1982 where current and former A Chorus Line cast members are at a Christmas party at the Public Theater wearing exaggerated “old people” versions of the costumes they wear in the show. Val’s tits drags behind her, Donna McKechnie is in a white fright wig, etc. It’s based on a party that actually took place during the holidays that year..

His take on the devastating ending of the show is also the same as what was mentioned in the earlier thread. It’s not supposed to be some fun, happy, golden finale. Audiences can tell there is something hollow and off about it.

And the disastrous film accentuated that. I seem to remember “One” was downright ghoulish, reducing the dancers to automatons with frozen grins.

[quote]R47 Marjorie Prime is coming to Broadway in the fall. It has a choice role for a woman of a certain age.

Will she have gay voice?

[quote]R47 I would love to see someone like Stockard Channing or Blythe Danner in the role.

My friend who acted with her said Stockard Channing’s a selfish cunt, so not her.

Old Mother Goop is also debatable.

R69. That was the best part of the movie.

Why did Maybe Happy Ending drop so dramatically last week?

Was Darren out for some reason?

If so, that doesn't bode well for MHE's future.

Surely though an older actress would line up for the chance at a definite Tony nomination (if not win)

Actresses 80+ who have done stage work

Estelle Parsons

Blythe Danner

Stockard Channing

Jane Fonda

Ellen Burstyn

Lily Tomlin

Vanessa Redgrave

Frances De La Tour

Swoosie Kurtz

Diane Keaton (grand return to stage)

Meryl Streep (75, but can wear older makeup and FINALLY win a Tony)

Betty Buckley (78)

[quote]Diane Keaton (grand return to stage)

That's not going to happen.

I need to FUCK Eddie Redmayne deeply& rim his shitter.

I loved him in Cabaret, saw it in London.

Darren was out for two performances last week.

[quote]Curiously, everything got a bump last week except for the Tony-winning Maybe Happy Ending and Oh, Mary! How do you explain that??

I'm guessing that people were rushing to see shows that were closing, whereas they figure there's no great rush to see the huge hits. Did this reason not occur to you?

Blythe Danner should do The Trip to Bountiful.

[quote]Jake Shears (in London) was my favorite Emcee of the ones I have seen in this current production

Really? The overall concept of this production is so weird, ridiculous, and off-putting that I can't imagine it makes much difference who's playing the leads.

Well, then your imagination is limited, R80.

r74, of your list I'd say Estelle Parsons is most suited to the old lady in Marjorie Prime.

It needs an actress who can affect a very ordinary demeanor, not someone who'd refuse to be de-glamourized, as so many on that list would. Ellen Burstyn might also be good. And Vanessa, of course, though she now radiates some kind of national monument icon which would upset the fragile balance of the play.

And though not on your list, you couldn't do better than Lois Smith, of course.

What about....

PATTI!!!!

She needs a 4th Tony!!!!!

There were rumors that 'Burlesque' was going to be a stage musical, and there was a workshop planned. Does anyone know what happened with that ? I think it was going to premiere on the West End.

Why does the West End always turn American movies into musicals?

Dirty Dancing, Back to the Future, The Bodyguard, Flashdance, Ghost, Groundhog Day, etc.

Estelle Parsons is just astounding on stage. I got to see her in “August: Osage County” twice, once at the Kennedy Center and once on Broadway, and it was one of my all-time favorite stage performances.

Right up there with Glenda Jackson in “Three Tall Women.”

[quote]Why does the West End always turn American movies into musicals?

For the EXACT same reason Broadway does.

[Quote] There were rumors that 'Burlesque' was going to be a stage musical, and there was a workshop planned. Does anyone know what happened with that ?

Because they realized it sucked?

Burlesque could never be Xanadu.

Burlesque UK

Apparently, 'MHE' forgot to report one of their performances. They have resubmitted their numbers and the grosses should be adjusted tomorrow. So they will be down, but not as bad as reported. Criss was out for both performances on the 18th (preplanned). Ticket holders were notified about a week before to exchange or return tickets.

Boop! won the game of chicken. Chess blinked, and instead of waiting any longer for the Broadhurst, it's going to the Imperial.

Despite your snarky comment, R81, I don't think my "imagination is limited" when imagining different performers in the current production of CABARET. In my opinion, the production concept of the director and the designers is so weird, disgusting, and also so rigid that it would scarcely matter who's playing the leads.

BOOP going to a whopping $600,000 doesn't buy them any more time. They still probably lost $250,000 at that gross. July 4 is my guess...Labor Day at most

I'll bet Cheno was ecstatic that her age was revealed to the whole country.

I wonder what's going next into the Shortacre...uh I mean the Longacre.

The original production of Chess played the Imperial. And that worked out so well.

Reviews for the west end Hercules are pretty mixed.

I saw both Dunnigan and Parsons in August. I thought Parsons much better, and I think Morton should have won the Tony.

R99, saw a version of Hercules at the Papermill Playhouse a few years back.

Meh

I'll be seeing Hercules in September on the West End. Hope it's still running then. Good or bad, I'll stay through the whole thing - yes, I CAN GO THE DISTANCE!

[quote]R74 Surely though an older actress would line up for the chance at a definite Tony nomination (if not win) - - Estelle Parsons, Blythe Danner, Stockard Channing, Jane Fonda, Ellen Burstyn, Lily Tomlin, Vanessa Redgrave, Frances De La Tour, Swoosie Kurtz, Diane Keaton (grand return to stage), Meryl Streep (75, but can wear older makeup and FINALLY win a Tony), Betty Buckley (78)

Goddamn you, little homosexual boys!

I have no idea if this London Hercules is any good but I do know, on trusted authority, that it's a very different version than the one that played at Paper Mill and IIRC before that at the Delacorte. Lear de Bessonet directed those first 2 productions but this new one is directed by Casey NIcholaw.

What were the reciews like for “Stereophonic” in London? I’ve had trouble finding them online for some reason.

"Time Out"

Jane Krakowski would have been hilarious in Xanadu. And she could roller skate.

[quote]And she could roller skate.

Saw Old Friends tonight. Too bad it's so staged like a musical "spectacular"of TV yesteryear. However, some great moments, including Ladies Who Lunch by a terrific Joanna Riding (replacing Beth Leavel) and a truly exquisite Send in the Clowns (and I don't even like Bernadette. And I fell in love with a guy named Jacob Dickey. Tee hee.

Someone on the theater threads used to post about working with the dancer-choreographer Edie Cowan. I saw she died last month, then found a wonderful long interview she did in January. She started on Broadway dancing in "Funny Girl," played young Phyllis in a tour of "Follies" with Vivian Blaine, and choreographed the original off-Broadway production of "Little Shop of Horrors." She sounds so lively in the January interview and mentions that she goes tango dancing several times a week, so i assume she died unexpectedly. Anyhow, she shares lots of funny stories (link in next post).

RIP

Interview

How many of you are buying CHESS tickets today? I think I will wait....

R96 Kristin sounded awful singing the national anthem. I had second-hand embarrassment for her.

[quote] I CAN GO THE DISTANCE!

The stupidest song in Hercules. It needs to be cut because it adds little to the show.

[quote]How many of you are buying CHESS tickets today? I think I will wait....

Im sure there will be a mad rush to see a middling cast sing a middling show at highly inflated prices.

Wait for the discount codes

[quote]I have no idea if this London Hercules is any good but I do know, on trusted authority, that it's a very different version than the one that played at Paper Mill and IIRC before that at the Delacorte. Lear de Bessonet directed those first 2 productions but this new one is directed by Casey NIcholaw.

The main problem is the script

Will Lea be doing all 8 performances?

R81 is Barbara Thorndyke

R118 made me laugh and I almost wrote that too.

R114 why would they cut the only known song from the show that was Oscar nominated for best song?

R117 probably. The reason Lea didn't do 8 shows a week for FUNNY GIRL was because Julie Benko was originally hired to be Beanie Feldstein's alternate and after she was let go, they didn't want to fire Julie, too.

Thanks, R106.

Does anyone else else feel the initial 2022 casting for FUNNY GIRL was a mistake?

R122, please tell us you're being sarcastic.

I'll wait to buy tickets until they announce the Thursday night Florence.

[quote]why would they cut the only known song from the show that was Oscar nominated for best song?

No one remembers anything from that movie.

Currently on ATC, there are at least two reminders of why I rarely go there anymore. First, the comically reprehensible Singapore/Fling is insulting Playwrights Horizons because it's upcoming seasons doesn't happen to include any plays written by women (though others have pointed out that at least two of the people whose plays were chosen seem to be non-binary). And then some pretentious fool who goes by the handle "champagnesalesman" wrote that he opted out of seeing the recent HELLO, DOLLY! concert at Carnegie Hall "because a lot of the cast seemed more like a 54 Below concert cast." He then wrote, "but everyone I know who went loved it so I guess I should have gone!" Yes, you're right about that, you snobbish twit.

When is the Hello, Dolly concert? Considering last year's Follies sold out in minutes, it's surprising that sales for Hello, Dolly! are limping along.

They should have done something like Mama, which has been in NYC for a long while

The Playwrights Horizons season is mostly male, a few of whom have adopted to use non-gender-specific pronouns.

[quote]The Playwrights Horizons season is mostly male, a few of whom have adopted to use non-gender-specific pronouns.

And there are many good reasons why it might have fallen out that way. Are you advocating for a quota system that must be adhered to no matter what?

[quote]When is the Hello, Dolly concert? Considering last year's Follies sold out in minutes, it's surprising that sales for Hello, Dolly! are limping along.

Umm, it happened two nights ago, and the theater looked very full.

[quote]They should have done something like Mama, which has been in NYC for a long while

Have you considered that (1) MAME might have not been available, and/or (2) there are several good reasons why they might not have wanted to do that show/score?

Any reports on how Hello Dolly was?

The Chess advance sale website has crashed.

[quote] And there are many good reasons why it might have fallen out that way. Are you advocating for a quota system that must be adhered to no matter what?

Not at all, I was just clarifying an earlier post. Using they/them pronouns doesn't make you a female. PH has had a long history producing plays by women and wound not judge them based on a single season.

[quote]PH has had a long history producing plays by women and wound not judge them based on a single season.

Good, because that was my main point, that it's reprehensible for an insufferable fool to anonymously judge them in an online forum based on a single season.

I know first hand how projects come together and fall apart, R134, and you can only produce the projects that are ready.

Right, R135, and that further proves my point.

Playwrights Horizons receives hundreds if not thousands of new play submissions every year. It is one of the premiere institutions in NY for premiering new American work. None of the playwrights listed in the new season are well-known names. And they're producing 6 plays this coming season, more than usual.

So it is really incomprehensible that they couldn't find at least another play written by a woman. Or hire a woman director.

[QUOTE] So it is really incomprehensible that they couldn't find at least another play written by a woman. Or hire a woman director.

Why exactly? Maybe none of the submissions by women were as good as the men’s or the they’s. Why must everything be a contest with you people?

What's incomprehensible to me is how R137 and his/her/their are too dim and reactionary to understand the chilling effect of a quota system that dictates there MUST WITHOUT FAIL be a certain number of various kinds of people hired as actors or playwrights or directors of whatever for every show, every season. Amazing that they go so far as to slam a theater company with not including any plays by women in ONE of its seasons when that company has featured many plays by women in past seasons, and no doubt will do so again in future.

[quote]r138 Why must everything be a contest with you people?

Well, it's not really a contest, is it, when just one side's reresented?

r137 here.

To elaborate, PH like many similar NY non-profit theaters (MTC, The Atlantic, The Vineyard, Roundabout, LCT3, etc.) produce many new plays in a season that are finally merely mediocre to bad, try as they may to choose the most-deserving submissions. I'm sure you've all seen many of these disappointing new plays.

So it's very hard (for me) to believe that among their hundreds (thousands?) of possibilities from mostly youngish unknown playwrights (that's what this coming season will be) that it wouldn't be as easy and genuinely magnanimous to choose a couple from young women writers. I can't imagine they could be so sure of the six finalists that there wouldn't be many viable runner-ups in the mix, some of which might be from women writers.

It's all a crap shoot anyway when you're dealing with such new untried material from writers without much of a track record. And optics do matter.

Just my opinion. It's not a science.

R141, but you're tremendously oversimplifying the situation. First of all, we're not talking about simply choosing from a bunch of scripts submitted. In most cases, major considerations include what state of development the play is in, how many workshop productions if any it has had, if there is any kind of co-production involved, etc.

So there are all of those variables, and more to contend with as well. But ultimately, in a way, they're all beside the point, because you seem to be saying that, regardless, a certain number of scripts by women (or gay people, or POC, or whatever) MUST be chosen for production as part of a quota system.

Maybe you should try looking at it the other way: Unless PH consciously and purposefully chose a season entirely consisting of plays by men out of sheer misogyny, which of course is an utterly ridiculous thought, then it just so happens that this particular season fell out that way, and there is nothing wrong going on here at all.

[quote]No one remembers anything from that movie.

R125 Hades is a very popular Disney villain and many people also enjoy the Muses and Meg's sarcasm.

As for the music, "Go the Distance" and "I Won't Say I'm in Love" are favorites on social media.

I don't know why you're trying to downplay the movie.

Bye bye Boop. July 13th

Well, they held on longer than I'd have expected ...

Audra out tonite

^ must be a day that ends in Y

Ha! Good one, R147.

What with Hercules' disappointing London reviews and the previous collapse of Frozen I think Disney's days of blockbuster musicals are over. Except, of course, for the perennial Lion King (from which they never seemed to learn a lesson) and the soon to be perennial Aladdin (as they're not going to find another new show to replace it.

They keep over-producing everything and you have to be careful over-producing a cartoon. It all just seems so ponderous and kitschy, a very bad combo.

How long before they revive Beauty & the Beast on Broadway? Will it sell out again? Newsies?

R149. Beauty and the Beast is getting ready to go out on National Tour. Maybe Broadway will be the final stop.

I wonder if anyone at Disney's theatrical branch has ever dared to suggest a full-length stage version of Pocahontas. Or Mulan.

[quote]Hades is a very popular Disney villain and many people also enjoy the Muses and Meg's sarcasm. As for the music, "Go the Distance" and "I Won't Say I'm in Love" are favorites on social media. I don't know why you're trying to downplay the movie.

Sorry, not ringing a bell

There's also Disney's Hunchback of Notre Dame making the rounds. Seems like to be in the same sort of limbo Hercules is

Boop Takes a Poop! —VARIETY

Interesting, R149. It could certainly be argue that all of Disney's Broadway shows, including THE LION KING and ALADDIN, were "overproduced."

At least Lion King was over-produced with style and imagination.

[quote] Any reports on how Hello Dolly was?

Haven't heard a lot about the whole concert, but apparently Marilyn Maye's performance of Before The Parade Passes By was a showstopper.

The pro-shot of Frozen popped up on Disney Plus a week ago. Having failed to see it during its Broadway run, I’m not surprised it died a quick death. What an absolutely turgid and inept shitshow - and the London production that was filmed is supposed to have been the improved staging.

It’s a fascinating case study in how to fuck up a stage adaptation: roughly the same length as the film on which it is based but lacks any of the charm, wit, or grace of its source material. The narrative is clunky, it’s tonally all over the place, the new songs underwhelming and strange, and it all feels so desperately laboured.

I was surprised how irredeemably dreadful it is. And there’s something particularly dreary and undignified about a stage work that requires live performers to enthusiastically wade through shit eight times a week in what is - at best - an expensive mnemonic for the far superior film on which it is based.

Kudos to R158 for using the word “mnemonic.”

[quote]Haven't heard a lot about the whole concert, but apparently Marilyn Maye's performance of Before The Parade Passes By was a showstopper.

A genuine showstopper, or an "I can't believe she's 97 years old" showstopper?

r142, just think of the optics if PH produced a season with all women playwrights and directors. Just because they couldn't find any men suitable for those positions.

Both, R160. Definitely both.

R161, your posts are becoming increasingly ridiculous. Of course, this has nothing to do with "not being able to find" talented female playwrights and directors, so please stop with the really dumb false equivalencies.

Marilyn Maye.....wow.

7 years ago….

Maye was sensational, but, for me, it was Kate Baldwin who stole the show. Ghee was awful. Who the fuck thought he could handle So Long, Dearie? He should have done the Hello, Dolly number in a red ball gown. Simard, even at the last minute, seemed to be channeling Leslie Kritzer in the second act of Beetlejuice. Chris Sieber was also wonderful. And please, somebody revive Crazy For You for A.J. Shively.

A.J. is great, R166, but what made you think of him for CRAZY FOR YOU in particular?

Kate Baldwin is always a luminous performer. Gorgeous woman.

The B-52s are still going?!

Too bad these concerts aren't videotaped. Or are they....?

That Jimmys clip reminded me how dorky cute Josh Groban is. Has anyone ever had him?

Who won a Jimmy?

Kate Baldwin’s “Losing My Mind” at the Carnegie Hall FOLLIES concert last summer (so sorry if you couldn’t secure a ticket…💅🏼) was spectacular and an evening highlight. Her classic interpretation was stunning and I also loved what she was wearing.

How does one find out if Audra is in the show tonight?

She will be on tonight, R174.

One tosses a coin and takes one's chances, R174.

Jimmy Award winner Andrew Barth Feldman and his girlfriend Helen J. Shen (and according to DL, you know what that means), perform It Only Takes a Moment from the Hello, Dolly! concert. A lovely rendition.

R174. If you're on Instagram sign up for Tryphena Wade's ROSE ALERTS. She usually sends out an alert a few hours before the performance to let people know she's going on. Or follow understudies org

R174 You go to the show expecting her not to be on tonight. Should she appear on stage, you will be pleasantly surprised. Should she not, you won't be disappointed.

[quote]The pro-shot of Frozen popped up on Disney Plus a week ago. Having failed to see it during its Broadway run, I’m not surprised it died a quick death. What an absolutely turgid and inept shitshow - and the London production that was filmed is supposed to have been the improved staging.

I saw the London production of FROZEN. While it wasn't as bad as you describe (imho), there was one element that really made the show work for me. We saw the show on a matinee, and the audience was filled with young girls, many of whom were dressed as Anna or Elsa. Sitting next to us were two cute twin girls, about seven years old - one Elsa and one Anna - along with their grandmother. Of course, they performed the whole show, acting and singing along with the cast. No, it wasn't a distraction - it was terrific - and they were completely committed to the story. They loved the show, and we loved them. It reminded me of the joy I felt when I started going to the theater as my Mom's plus one. That's how I will remember Frozen - The Musical.

Thanks a bunch, R180, for not only condoning such behavior but actually praising it. Incredible.

Oh, let it go.

Why is there a concert version of HELLO DOLLY when it was on Broadway and national tour just a few years ago??

R179. I went to Wonderful Town expecting Donna Murphy not to be there. Surprise! Not only did she show up but she gave a very memorable performance. Still one of my favorite evenings in the theatre.

Boop closing. Gee what a shock!

Mr. Feldman is straight??

So was Plattypants in the beginning.

Who is Plattypants

Saw Purpose tonight. I enjoyed it... a great deal... but...something was missing or off. It felt like the playwright kind of got the comedy/drama balance a little off. I think Appropriate was more successful in this regard (and, overall, a better play.) It was my first time seeing Kara Young. I can see why she's a Tony favorite -- fabulous performance.

R177 that's an annoying vibrato happening there - or is it something else?

R190, are you referring to him or her -- or both? Helen J Shen did not sing very well in this concert, although she did nail a pretty good high note.

Helen Shen is an uneven performer, but because she’s a minority and likeable, everyone was convinced she was snubbed for a Tony nomination.

R189, “Purpose” is very funny and satisfying but much of the exposition is spouted to the audience by one character rather than dramatized. “Appropriate” had a much more provocative idea then did nothing with it as the whole family squabble descended to sitcom level.

Branden Jacob-Jenkins is a promising playwright of the old-school, well-constructed play that was a staple on Broadway in the last century. But so far he’s pretty lazy, cutting corners and incapable of properly ending his plays (he was very lucky that the theatrical pyrotechnics at the end of “Appropriate” did his work for him, “Purpose” is too long and could have ended in three places).

I don’t think it helps his development as a playwright that he’s already been Tony-ed and Pulitzer-ed for the sort of Neil Simonesque stuff no one will want to revive in 15 years. He’s good but not THAT good, and now he may feel he doesn’t have to be, let alone get better.

I hated Appropriate, found it wildly over-rated (including Sarah Paulson's performance), and thus have no interest in seeing Purpose.

Jacob-Jenkins will no doubt soon be scooped up by TV (where he belongs) and we won't have to deal with him.

[quote]Branden Jacob-Jenkins is a promising playwright of the old-school, well-constructed play that was a staple on Broadway in the last century. But so far he’s pretty lazy, cutting corners and incapable of properly ending his plays (he was very lucky that the theatrical pyrotechnics at the end of “Appropriate” did his work for him, “Purpose” is too long and could have ended in three places).

Agreed, 100 percent.

[quote]I don’t think it helps his development as a playwright that he’s already been Tony-ed and Pulitzer-ed for the sort of Neil Simonesque stuff no one will want to revive in 15 years. He’s good but not THAT good, and now he may feel he doesn’t have to be, let alone get better.

Also, because he has already had such great success, it's highly unlikely that any producer will ever suggest he work with a dramaturg to help refine and edit his plays. And it's too bad, because I think that would really help.

Appropriate” had a much more provocative idea…

Fun n’ games with Klan stuff. Was that it?

I think An Octoroon is easily one of the best plays by an American writer of the last 25 years. But as for everything Branden Jacobs Jenkins has written since, R193 hits the nail on the head.

Same goes for Anne Washburn. Nothing since Mr Burns comes close to being as brilliant or theatrically bold.

R193 - Fair assessment, though I think I have a... warmer regard for his work than you do. Neil Simon will always be in the pantheon of great commercial comic playwrights, but I think Jacob-Jenkins is a far more interesting writer. I 100% agree that Purpose was too long and, like you, it seems, I'm not too fond of writing that is overly reliant upon exposition. What's odd is... he didn't NEED all of that exposition... literally half of what the main character told us could have easily been revealed through dialogue. I found its high points so enjoyable, though, that I still thoroughly enjoyed the evening. It was also nice to see a very full house with a very diverse (generationally, ethnically) and appreciative audience... all for a non-musical play without (with all due respect to Mrs. Jackson) any A-list stars.

Appropriate was more successful for me. I happened to see Sarah Paulson's understudy who was absolutely incredible. I'd have sworn she'd been giving that performance 8/times a week.

I agree about An Octoroon...it's a powerful piece of theater.

I don't agree about "Mr. Burns". It was "clever" but it was also rather dumb because it didn't make sense that after the "Incident" that there would NEVER be any way to watch The Simpsons. If society collapsed, there are ways to get electricity back up and running and VCRs and DVD players.

She should have set the play in the mid 60s and had it be "Mr. Mertz..." and about recreating "I Love Lucy". Technology was less advanced and there weren't VHS/DVD copies of shows just laying around to be eventually played.

I was reading on another forum that 'MJ' is scheduled to be announcing a closing date in the next few weeks, and the closing date will be right after the New Year. Not sure how true this is (there was a bit of a debate on whether it's the B'way production or the West End).

The B'way show opened February 1, 2022. Currently, it has tickets available through January 4, 2026.The B'way show continues to do well at the box office, pulling in over $1M each week (most recent grosses show it sold at 91% capacity). The show recouped its entire initial investment within fifteen months (mid-May, 2023).

The West End show opened March 6, 2024. Currently, it has tickets available through March, 2026. This production has yet to recoup its investment.

Billy Porter IS Paula in an updated "The Goodbye Gurrrl."

Wonder why they're closing MJ when it's still profiting.

THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 1976, a revival of "Pal Joey" opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre.

Dixie/ZIP

I love you, R205.

R118, it may be the gummy, but your post made me laugh so loud that my cat gave me a dirty(er) look.

Bebe ZIP

[quote]r204 THIS DAY IN BROADWAY HISTORY: In 1976, a revival of "Pal Joey" opened at the Circle in the Square Theatre.

Featuring Marilu Henner in the chorus.

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s ‘Masquerade’ Announces Preview Dates And A Cast Including Two Former Broadway Phantoms:

If it's true that MJ is going to close, that means Six will be the last show standing from the '21-'22 season. & Juliet is the only one standing from '22-'23. There's three still hanging on from '23-'24: The Great Gatsby, Hell's Kitchen, and The Outsiders.

Like cockroaches.

Saw Maybe Happy Ending. The production design made it hard not to think of the Company revival (or Curious Incident, for that matter.) Very charming. A touch twee for me, but I'm also not a die-hard romantic. Both leads were fantastic. Something about holding that robotic form must be... exhausting. Impressive that Darren Criss has been doing that 8 times a week since the Fall!

In Maybe Happy Ending why doesn't the girl hold the same robotic form Criss does?

Because she’s a more advanced version of a helpbot. Pay attention.

Yikes! Dixie Carter's rendition of Zip! was just awful. So strident and she can't hit the notes.

Bebe's version OTOH is divine.

IIRC they gave Martha Plimpton, who played Gladys Bumps in the rather dismal Joe Mantello/Stockard Channing Roundabout revival the song and cut the reporter character who originally sang it. I think Plimpton did pretty well with it but I can't remember how they rationalized her character singing it. I do wonder why the song wasn't better incorporated into the original show.

R204, that was meant to star Edward Villela until it was discovered he had zero singing talent. Christopher Chadman got the lead and no question why it flopped.

I want to say that "Zip" was part of Gladys' act in the Roundabout version of Pal Joey, R216.

Any feelings about the London version? The singer is Darlene Johnson, who went on to play Janet's mom in Shock Treatment.

Is Eileen Heckart's version of Zip! out there in the ether? Now that I'd like to hear. She played Melba opposite Bob Fosse.

When it comes down to it, Elaine owns the damn song.

Well, they're selling tickets through January so maybe ticket sales have started lagging significantly.

R217. Don't forget me!!!!

R222 and don't forget me!!!!!!!!

[quote]What with Hercules' disappointing London reviews and the previous collapse of Frozen I think Disney's days of blockbuster musicals are over.

Regarding Frozen, the collapse of that show is quite amazing considering that everyone in the world, including Disney, assumed all they had to do was put some version of the movie onstage and it would be a spectacular, long-running success even if the product was no better than mediocre. That the show was SO poorly received and did so relatively poorly at the box office is a real testament to just how incredibly awful it was, from the casting to the rewriting to the song additions, etc., etc., etc.

I saw Frozen on Bway. It was fine, just nothing original. They just took the movie version and stuck it on stage

I'm melting...

IIRC, didn't 'FROZEN' start the trend of over-priced ticketing ? I remember the most complaints on the theater forums was that families who wanted to go to the show were not going to pay hundreds of dollars per ticket - especially a family of four or more. Most families waited for discount ticketing if they could get them, but for a long time, Disney was reluctant to discount the tickets. So the tourist families were opting for the more reasonably priced 'Aladdin' and 'Lion King' instead. And instead of offering more discounted ticketing, Disney never reopened the show after the pandemic.

Oops.

[quote]I saw Frozen on Bway. It was fine, just nothing original. They just took the movie version and stuck it on stage

In my opinion, it was far worse than "fine." Again, I blame poor casting, ill-advised changes to the score and script, and awful direction.

The main point of the show Frozen was the large store in the theater lobby selling Frozen merchandise

Jennifer Aniston wants to do a Broadway show.

I think the main problem with Frozen is the fact that it's Frozen...a really shitty, contrived piece of shit with a stupid snowman characer, one big (and annoying) song, and a total lack of any kind of originality or genuine emotion. It's a show that was embraced by 3 year olds. Who have rather basic (terrible) taste.

R231. Jen. Call us.

Is Jen a Sally or a Phyllis?

And is she too old for "They're Playing Our Song"?

News flash: TPOS is NEVER going to have a Broadway revival.

Jennifer Aniston is Mame!

Aniston is the right age to play 'Mama Rose'. Maybe she can pitch a new B'way revival when the current revival is over ?

She has to copy everything I do. She's obsessed with me.

R238, I’m sure the “I hate Audra” troll will just love Aniston’s pauses and use of head voice

Saw Glengarry Glen Ross. It was... good, fine, unremarkable. That first act is over in a blink. Silly to have an intermission after just 40 mins.

Jennifer Aniston IS The Star Spangled They/Them!

Jennifer would be good as Mona in The Best Little Whorehouse in Texas.

Why they didn't choose Jennifer over Nicole in the current 'SB' revival will remain a mystery to us all, forever. To think they could've probably gotten Brad Pitt to play 'Joe' and Hugh Jackman as Max.

[quote]Saw Glengarry Glen Ross. It was... good, fine, unremarkable. That first act is over in a blink. Silly to have an intermission after just 40 mins.

Considering the average age for a Glengarry Glen Ross audience is about 70, ya get the toliets flowing early.

Jen would be good in a revival of Same Time Next Year. But who for the Charles Grodin/Alan Alda role?

[quote]But who for the Charles Grodin/Alan Alda role?

One of the ever-reliable 'go to' actors for Broadway:

Nathan Lane

Matthew Broderick

David Hyde Pierce

[quote]Considering the average age for a Glengarry Glen Ross audience is about 70, ya get the toliets flowing early.

True! Though, wasn't so much the case at the performance I caught. I was actually struck by how young a good deal of the audience was. I suppose having the stars of Succession and Better Caul Saul will do that.

I suspect “Same Time, Next Year” wouldn’t age very well.

They need to try an edgier but still hilarious Lesbianic reboot with Jen and Courteney Cox.

[quote]Angelina Jolie and daughter Vivienne stun at Tony Awards

Will clickbait sites never find another verb to replace "stun"?

Can you come up with a better double-edged word, r251?

I read that THE BODYGUARD might finally come to Broadway?? Good Lord, why? I saw it on tour (a friend dragged me) in 2018 and it remains the dumbest thing I’ve ever seen outside of community theater. Deborah Cox and Judson Mills were fine, but the show is terrible. The fraus around me loved it though, so I guess that’s why it’s still going. I was laughing at many parts that weren’t supposed to be funny and my friend kept poking me in the ribs to shut me up.

Jennifer Aniston and David Schwimmer in Same Time, Next Year. Boom. Money in the bank.

[Quote] Will clickbait sites never find another verb to replace "stun"?

Another one they overuse is “slammed”

Audra is starting her vacation a day early. Tryphena is on today.

Tryphena sounds like the name of a medication.

I had a dream.

R251. I agree. I guess they used "Angelina Jolie and daughter Vivienne break their silence at Tony Awards" in a previous post.

Aniston and Jonathan Groff in "Talley's Folly".

Jennifer Aniston

IN

Death of a Saleswoman!

Jennifer Aniston in Oh! Calcutta!

Jennifer Aniston IS Jean Smart in Call Me Jean, the one-woman play about the making of Call Me Izzy.

MJ on Broadway isn't going anywhere. It's still very profitable.

Can Miss Aniston carry a tune?

As a grand actress of yore, she should do something like The Constant Wife, A Matter of Gravity or...40 Carats.

[quote]I wonder if anyone at Disney's theatrical branch has ever dared to suggest a full-length stage version of Pocahontas. Or Mulan.

I think POCAHONTAS could work if they made the first movie Act I (English settlers led by Governor Ratcliffe arrive in Virginia and found Jamestown, John Smith secretly meets with Pocahontas who teaches him about the New World, she saves his life when their people go to war and he's captured by the Powhatans who planned to execute him, but he gets accidentally shot by Ratcliffe in the melee and returns to England for medical care).

NOTE: The real John Smith was badly burned by a gunpowder explosion and was sent back to England for medical assistance, never to return to Virginia.

And the sequel JOURNEY TO A NEW WORLD would be Act II (Pocahontas is misinformed that John Smith died en route back to England, a new settler John Rolfe arrives in Jamestown and romances Pocahontas, they get married and depart on a goodwill tour to England where she's treated like visiting royalty by King James and is reunited with John Smith before heading back to Virginia).

NOTE: The real Pocahontas and Smith were happily reunited in London, but she never made it back to Virginia, because she took ill (possibly tuberculosis) as she and Rolfe were getting ready to return (with their baby son Thomas, who does not appear in the movie). She died suddenly and was buried in England.

R257

Does it come with an applicator?

I would love to see a revival of 40 Carats. It's a chestnut but very funny.

Starring Cole Escola!

Who looks good enough in bra and panties to play the Blythe Danner/Gokdie Hawn rolein a revival of Butterflies Are Free? And please don’t say Cole Escola.

Sydney Sweeney?

Miss Darren Criss

Bingo, R272. Yes. The modern day version of Nancy Allen would be perfect. Ditziness with a touch of cuntiness.

R272, are you being serious? I also think it could be a great idea. The sign of a true actor is one who can be successful on state. Sweeney has shown evidence she can be the real thing, that she's more than just her breast size.

If she were willing, and could pull it off (so to speak), it would give her tremendous credibility (even if she tried and failed she'd get points for effort). and I think the box-office would definitely be there.

Who for the Eileen Heckart part? Patti? Betty? Hey, what about Audra? They could cast a young black kid in the Edward Albert, Jr part and it could add a whole new dimension.

R275, Correction: on stage. (Obviously)

I was being serious, yes. And even if she fails, "Sydney Sweeney in her underwear" is bound to sell some tickets.

Has there ever been a decent film or miniseries about Pocahontas, other than the Disney cartoon? Such a fascinating story.

[quote]They could cast a young black kid in the Edward Albert, Jr part and it could add a whole new dimension.

Well, if nothing else, it would give a whole new meaning to "Little Donnie Dark".

RIP:

JOHN CONKLIN master theatre and opera set & costume designer, mentor and teacher to multi-generations of theatre artists

MARK BROKAW theatre director, How I Learned to Drive, As Bees in Honey Drown, Cry Baby, Lobby Hero, The Dying Gaul

PAUL LIBIN long-time theatre manager and producer of Circle-in-the-Square

A tough week for the NY theatre community.

The Baby Boom turns eighty in six months. Familiar names are going to start dropping like flies over the next decade.

Alison Janney for Mrs Baker in Butterflies Are Free.

R282, she'd be great in that part.

Butterflies Are Free? 40 Carats? How about Time Out For Ginger?

[quote]Has there ever been a decent film or miniseries about Pocahontas, other than the Disney cartoon? Such a fascinating story.

There's "The New World" (2005) by Terrence Malick starring Q'orianka Kilcher as Pocahontas, Colin Farrell as John Smith, Christian Bale as John Rolfe, August Schellenberg as Chief Powhatan, Jonathan Pryce as King James, and Christopher Plummer as Captain Newport (aka Ratcliffe in the Disney film).

Betty Buckley's mother passed away. She seemed like a lovely woman. RIP

Saoirse Ronan iin Any Wednesday, please!

The cast of FRIENDS in a revival of Neil Simon’s RUMORS!

Well, minus Matthew Perry..

Sarah Jessica Parker and Matthew Broderick in Mary, Mary.

Beanie Feldstein in There's a Them In My Soup.

The cast of Seinfeld in Arthur Miller's The Price!

Olivia Colman and the buck toothed chick from The White Lotus in The Killing of Sister George!

I'd watch that, r292.

[quote]Betty Buckley's mother passed away. She seemed like a lovely woman. RIP

WOW! She turned 99 this past November 1. I remember an interview with Buckley years ago on 'CBS Sunday Morning' which took place at her mother's home, and her mother chatted for a few minutes with the interviewer. She seemed rather pleased with her daughter's success (I think BB was just starting the tour of 'Hello Dolly'). She came across as a real 'Southern woman'.

I feel bad for Betty Lynn. She’s 77 and her mom was 99. It would be hard to suddenly no longer have a person in your life after having them for 77 years.

What's going to be shocking is the Great Die Off for all those even older stars born in the 30s/early 40s who become stars in the 60s/70s. A rather huge number of them are still alive:

Shirley MacLaine

Warren Beatty

Jane Fonda

Robert Redford

Jack Nicholson

Julie Christie

Vanessa Redgrave

Michael Caine

Barbra Streisand

Catherine Deneuve

Faye Dunaway

Dustin Hoffman

Al Pacino

70s in 1970

You can no more quickly destroy the reputations of most of these former hits than to remount them. Gingerbread Lady? Forty Carats? Mary Mary? Killing of Sister George? Let them lie.

The moon is blue, r298.

[quote]You can no more quickly destroy the reputations of most of these former hits than to remount them. Gingerbread Lady? Forty Carats? Mary Mary? Killing of Sister George? Let them lie.

I've been hoping for a "Cactus Flower" revival.

Maggie Smith did Mary Mary in London.

Brendad Ickson in "The Madwoman of Century City."

Butterflies Are Free with Olivia Coleman as the Mom.

Proof that it's REALLY HOT in NYC.

What do you think of these clips of Madonna making her Broadway debut in David Mamet's Speed the Plow?

Brooke Shields, Jennifer Beals and Jennifer Grey were there for the opening night.

^^^OP, what was that play about? Does Madonna play a cheap whore? They are her best roles.

I'm so glad I got to see Madonna in Speed the Plow because now I can honestly say she gave a truly awful performance.

Really, I didn't know that-did she play a slut or a woman with no morals. Madonna is really good at playing those roles: Evita, Who's that Girl, Desperately Sucking Susan, A League of their Own, Dick Tracy.And her song "Live to Tell" was awesome in the film "At Close Range". Op, did I miss one?

[quote]What do you think of these clips of Madonna making her Broadway debut in David Mamet's Speed the Plow?

Saw the show first row, I'll damed if I can remember how I scored those seats. But she wooden, but glad I saw it.

"One Gay More" (Kennedy Center Pride Protest Concert)

me likey

The Dutch TV show Stars on Stage had on this young lady (who’s apparently a film actress) to perform “Buenos Aires.” I think some if it was OK but she seemed to badly fuck up on her lyrics at one point.

r312

Why do I need to know the actual lyrics?

Adam Guettel and Bart Sher's new musical MILLIONS closed tonight at the Alliance in Atlanta. Is it on its way to Broadway?

Saw the closing performance of Old Friends. It was marginally better than the original gala broadcast in some ways (likely because there weren't quite as many hammy Brits insisting on turning everything into a Pantomime performance.)

Did we really need this? No... but it was a pleasure hearing that very fine orchestra play so many incredible Sondheim songs (God, they packed them in... you definitely get your money's worth!)

Bernadette was in decent voice (by her current standards) and, I have to admit, since I was too young to have seen her Dot in person, it was undeniably touching seeing a tiny bit of that iconic performance live on a Broadway stage. By the way, did Bernie have a reduction? She didn't look as... buxom as I'm a accustomed to seeing.

Lea Salonga's voice remains powerful. I didn't find her to be a very... credible actress, though. Miss Saigon was a childhood favorite, so it was a treat to see her for the first time, but, with Sondheim she just didn't have... the layers.

Lea needs to sue the costume designer. They had her in deeply unflattering frocks all night. Sure, she looks like she's been having a little extra lumpia and, yeah, the 14 year old boy's haircut isn't doing her any favors, but she's still a lovely woman. It's weird to me that she looked her best in her Mrs. Lovett getup.

Beth Leavel's Ladies Who Lunch was almost silly in its hamminess (though it improved by the last quarter of the song.) Bonnie Milligan gave a very... credible I'm Still Here... though she sang some lyrics I'd never heard before. Did they change/augment the lyrics for the London Follies? Just an assumption since this production originated in London.

Forgot to save my Playbill, but the dude who played the Wolf was hot! (Good voice, too..)

What's with all those ellipses, R315? Very annoying.

They used some of the new lyrics added in Postcards from the Edge in I'm Still Here.

R311 I enjoyed the clip, but if ever a costume begged for a little VPL to spice it up...

And I didn't know that Herculese was a Gay Gym Bunny.

Does Montego Glover get to rehearse with the full cast of Gypsy?

R315: "Bonnie Milligan gave a very... credible I'm Still Here..."

Oh, dear.

R299 I like blue

Wasn't it Bonnie Langford? Ms. Miilligan was not in the show.

Too bad you missed Joanna Riding's I'm Still Here. It was superb.

The Wolf was Jacob Dickey.

I wouldn't blame the costume designer for Lea's look. To me it just seems like she wants to be comfortable and has strict parameters of what she will wear. Same for her practical hair-do. I saw the show in London, LOVED it, and thought she was one of the best things about it.

Lea’s Madame Rose outfit is the best of her costumes. Her finale dress was what was so awful. I think she looks good in a black dress…just not that one!

Salonga is a game girl. Perhaps the short hair makes it easier for her to wear wigs when doing a role. But when she appears on stage with hershort hair, she looks dyke-y, fat and middle-aged. And as good as she was in the show, it’s a fact that she lacks the glamor, magnetism and presence of Bernadette Peters, because the audience brings their memories of her long career to the theater with them. And Bernadette dresses and acts the part while never seeming imperious.

Salonga has “Miss Saigon” and what else? Who considers her an indelible star (or a box office one) based on her starring roles on stage? The decision to give her billing equal to Bernadette in divadom was kind and fashionably inclusive, but ultimately unconvincing once you actually saw the show.

R325, you seem to be largely unfamiliar with Lea Salonga's career, but you might want to research her work as a voice artist for animated films, and then you might begin to understand why she's considered a star.

Glamour!

R326, what about Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid) and Paige O’Hara? Neither became “stars.”

Has anyone had any luck purchasing tickets online to the A Chorus Line 50th Anniversary Celebration? The online option is a 404 error message and none of the phone numbers listed will fucking answer.

“Why is no one ready?”

R325 this was actuary just a cut and paste of Bernadette’s bio in the playbill!

I skipped Old Friends because I’m kind of sick of Sondheim reviews

How about some reviews of all the other great Bway teams?

[quote]r331 = I'm kind of sick of Sondheim reviews

Oh dear.

[QUOTE] Oh dear.

Oh, DEAR.

Saw a production of Butterflies are Free a few years back and the audience ate it up. It's ripe for an all-star Broadway revival, and like Plaza Suite, the critics would dismiss the writing while the audience buys tickets like mad and laughs it up and has a great time. As long as they get the casting right it would work. Even Jill's icky director friend, Ralph, can be a good role.

There's just a few lines that might need a gentle rewrite and of course the play can be cut to be shorter.

Once the show was back, Mrs. Baker is the kind of diva role where the production could even do replacements to lengthen the run. It's just two scenes, but she makes an impact. It would have to be a huge star that we don't see on Broadway all the time, to be enough of a draw. Blythe Danner as Mrs. Baker is just lazy casting. In this day and age, would audiences expect Don to be played by someone low vision/legally blind? To put a twist on it, Jill could absolutely be played by a person of color, and Don might not realize since he can only hear her, but seeing her sets Mrs. Baker off.

Mary, Mary: Westport Country Playhouse did a reading of it maybe 10 years ago in their Script in Hand series. It played like gangbusters.

Cactus Flower had an off-Broadway revival 15 years ago or so that was the brainchild of its female star, who was miscast. It was woefully directed, the set took forever to change in that "transferred from a regional theatre" kind of way with everything manually pulling out or folding up, and it was not very well-done all around.

Same Time Next Year with the two stars of Friends, or the remaining five stars of Friends in Rumors or The Dinner Party, is a wonderful idea. It's a shame they couldn't all be shoehorned into Noises Off. Aniston and Schwimmer might still be able to pull off Bell, Book and Candle too and to have the production queered up (in the other three roles) would give it modern snap.

Star-Spangled Girl will always be a dire script. The craft is there but it's uninspired and the resolution is forced and it's not that funny. Which is too bad because a genuinely funny and insightful comedy about a conservative person and a liberal person who start out hating each other and end up loving each other and working together might be interesting for right now.

Better would be a cut and slightly revised Come Blow Your Horn, which Sally Struthers and Hal Linden did recently. Yes, they're decades older than those roles are supposed to be, but apparently so hilarious the audience just didn't care.

Now I'm going to re-read Forty Carats and There's a Girl in My Soup. The Moon is Blue is cute but slight, and like Sunday in New York, they're fighting over a virgin. Any Wednesday is more than a little smarmy. Would anyone like the middle-drawer A Matter of Gravity, In Praise of Love, Tchin-Tchin if they weren't true hits the first time around?

But like The Boys in the Band revival a while back, The Killing of Sister George: Now with Real Celesbians! is a great idea. But they'd have to beat that revival of Catfish Cove or whatever it's called, because that's their gimmick too.

It will be interesting to see what Roundabout does with the now public domain Fallen Angels.

The main thing to keep sight of is that nearly all these titles were audience pleasing bonafide commercial hits that were everywhere for a decade or two: Broadway, touring, stock, amateur. The professional productions were mostly built around the personal appearance of stars the audience wants to see live on stage. These shows just work. They weren't developed for ten years in a regional theatre. They don't make the audience feel bad about themselves, or come to a "down" ending. They're not about society's ills so that you feel like you've just paid to hear a treatise. They brought people together in the theatre and they made money.

Actually, r333, it's a phrase. No comma needed.

I misread that as The DONNER Party. Likely more fun at the theater than what you’ve suggested.

R335 Not on DL, it isn’t.

Tell yourself whatever you need to, r337.

[QUOTE] Tell yourself whatever you need to, [R337].

That wasn’t me, bitch.

And “it’s an expression so it doesn’t need proper punctuation” is something you made up.

[quote] I feel bad for Betty Lynn. She’s 77 and her mom was 99. It would be hard to suddenly no longer have a person in your life after having them for 77 years.

It must be terrible to be orphaned at 77.

[quote][R325], you seem to be largely unfamiliar with Lea Salonga's career, but you might want to research her work as a voice artist for animated films, and then you might begin to understand why she's considered a star.

[quote][R326], what about Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid) and Paige O’Hara? Neither became “stars."

Lea was only the singing voice of 'Jasmine' and 'Mulan'; Linda Larkin and Ming-Na Wen provided the speaking voices, respectively.

Whereas Jodi Benson ('Ariel') and Paige O'Hara ('Belle') did both speaking/singing voices for their characters.

“R325]], you seem to be largely unfamiliar with Lea Salonga's career, but you might want to research her work as a voice artist for animated films, and then you might begin to understand why she's considered a star.”

R325 Are you perhaps joking? Are you equating doing the singing for a couple of animated characters with carrying any number of Broadway musicals — not to mention performing a killer 1930s musical tribute number in “Pennies From Heaven”?

You really are stretching the definition of “star” if you are serious. I hope for your sake you are not. Because wishing doesn ‘t make it so. And you need to do your homework.

I think Any Wednesday could work with an all male cast. Aging executive keeps young, sexy man on the side and his bitchy husband finds out.

It would be nearly impossible to pull off, of course, but I'd love to see R334's list of plays (well, some of them...) done on Broadway a la the Kenley Players circuit. A couple of weeks of rehearsal, performances for, say, two weeks, while another show rehearses and then replaces the previous show. Throw in a couple of rarely done musicals, too -- I don't know, Kismet, I Love My Wife, Seesaw, Hollywood/Ukraine, Brigadoon. It could be done with a repertory cast and some stars or new casts for every show.

Kenley did it every summer for years, and the shows had to travel, too. (The Kenley circuit could also make a fantastic limited series for TV, as long as Ryan Murphy kept his grubby hands off it.)

[quote][R326], what about Jodi Benson (The Little Mermaid) and Paige O’Hara? Neither became “stars.”

True, but what's your point? Lea Salonga is definitely considered a star, if not at the same level of Bernadette Peters, and she is a star based on her performance in MISS SAIGON as well as her voice work in animated films that are very popular with children and families. That's true regardless of the level of stardom of Jodi Benson and Paige O'Hara.

Learn to read, R342. I made no statement to the effect that Lea Salonga's stardom is equivalent to that of Bernadette Peters, and of course it isn't. I was making the point that Lea Salonga is considered a star in her own right and with her own public, and I'm sticking to that.

Also, you posted in response to the wrong person -- I am R326, not R325.

[quote]Lea was only the singing voice of 'Jasmine' and 'Mulan'; Linda Larkin and Ming-Na Wen provided the speaking voices, respectively.

I'm aware of that, but I still think Lea Salonga can be properly considered a star, and that her stardom is based largely on her singing in those two movies, plus of course MISS SAIGON.

[quote]The Kenley circuit could also make a fantastic limited series for TV, as long as Ryan Murphy kept his grubby hands off it.

Who else's grubby hands could get it made?

[quote]Mary, Mary: Westport Country Playhouse did a reading of it maybe 10 years ago in their Script in Hand series. It played like gangbusters.

Westport also did a reading of BUTTERFLIES ARE FREE some years ago with Jonathan Groff as Don, Betty Gilpin as Jill, Blythe Danner as Mrs. Baker, and Andrew Grusetskie as Ralph. The reading was hosted by Keir Dullea, and the play held up very well, indeed.

The exquisite Keir Dullea was on TCM this morning in The Fox. Christ, he was gorgeous. Cabaret, Strangers on a Train, and Some Like It Hot following.

[quote]It played like gangbusters

But would it be BOFFO at the BO?

Keir Dullea, gone tomorrow.

Audiences today are much more sophisticated than they were 40-50 years ago. They're not going to accept those yesterday hits, unless there are MAJOR pop culture names.

I think audiences were MORE sophisticated 40-50 years ago. The plays we're discussing may be dated but the majority of today's audience would never appreciate their wit and charm.

Audiences, especially on Broadway, are much dumber than 40 or 50 years ago. Holding a note three times longer than it is written receives rapturous applause. When I saw Sunset Boulevard, truly theater for people who don’t want to think at all, they went crazy applauding David Thaxton for a long note in The Greatest Star of All. Then he cracked on the next one.

[quote] Audiences, especially on Broadway, are much dumber than 40 or 50 years ago. Holding a note three times longer than it is written receives rapturous applause.

Schocking!

15 years ago a pre-roided out Zac Efron would have perfect in "Butterflies are Free" and would have been something in those tighty whities.

Right R343 and in a similar vein, for someone with a theatre just outside NYC or LA to take a cue from Good Night and Good Luck and make live in front of an audience versions of classic plays with stars, in short regional runs, serve them up once a month as specials, then put them on streaming. Surely it would be cheaper than making a typical Hallmark movie. The writing would be better and it would get the titles back in circulation again.

The cable networks did this in their early days with Barefoot in the Park, Bus Stop, The Rainmaker, Picnic, Plaza Suite, Vanities, and a bunch of others.

There's a much shorter cut of this Hasty Heart with Gregory Harrison and a surprisingly good (relative to expectations) Cheryl Ladd.

was the Carol Burnnett / Rock Huson I Do I Do ever on cable?

Agree that audiences were more sophisticated and discerning 40 or 50 years ago— for example when standing ovations were reserved for the exceptional instead of every single performance of everything.

R359. No but it was on cable with Lee Remick and Hal Linden.

It looks like they've closed off the real mezz while Audra is on vacation.

‘Phantom’ Spin-Off ‘Masquerade’ Sells Out Six Weeks Of Previews In Three Hours:

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^proving how unsophisticated and undiscerning audiences are today^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Are there any Terrence McNally plays solid enough for revival?

Is it finally time for an actual Broadway production of Lips Together, Teeth Apart?

I'd like to see Joe Mantello take a shot at directing "A Perfect Ganesh". Solid play for two great actresses between 65 and 75. Kathy Bates and Olivia Coleman? Cherry Jones and J. Smith Cameron?

Olivia Colman is 51, R367.

She certainly reads older.

R368. She looks 61!

Laurie Metcalf and Elizabeth McGovern.

Has Joe Turners Come and Gone ever sold tickets? I was surprised that was coming back...Not one of August Wilson's best...

Well, it's no 40 Carats ...

It's not even 6 Rms Riv Vu.

R366 NOPE!

That Roundabout Lips cancellation was so odd. They didn't cancel Doubt when Tyne couldn't continue. Why did they cancel Lips when Megan quit.

Is it the play?

....... March 24, 2010

[quote]I'd like to see Joe Mantello take a shot at directing "A Perfect Ganesh".

Joe has retired to the Hamptons. He's made $100 million from Wicked and never has to work again.

R379-No. He hasn't.

R380, He certainly has. He just gave away $1 million to the University of North Carolina.

I saw Montego Glover's first Gypsy performance. Happy to answer any questions.

You know what America needs right now?

[italic]6 Rms Riv Vu

You don't say, r383.

R382, how was she?

Mantello lives in Rancho Mirage.

R385 - very good, but not great. Not: "you must see this performance!"-level.

Her voice is definitely better suited to the role than Audra's though, even in that respect, it's a very respectable, but not very thrilling vocal.

I wonder if they tried to get Heather Hedley in. I feel like she may have given a very memorable performance.

By all means, if you have plans to see it this week, don't cancel. Glover does a very respectable job and I imagine she'll grow with each performance. But, I didn't find it half as thrilling as Bernadette (who defied expectations) or Patti (who lived up to expectations.)

R381 that’s not UNC —different university. Pay attention.

Here's the comedy revival that Broadway needs right now: "Once More With Feeling." Sadly, DL icon Arlene Francis is no longer available.

$6.90 for that bunk?

r382

Did she have that inexplicable southern accent as well? Did she sing every song like a gospel song like Audra did?

Audra would never approved Heather Headley.

A star NEVER wants a replacement to outshine them while they are still in the role.

Tell me about it r392.

Is it up to Audra to approve her replacement? Is she a producer?

The Secret of Roan Innish

[quote]Is it up to Audra to approve her replacement? Is she a producer?

Even if she's not a producer, do you really think the producers would ever hire a replacement not approved by Audra?

I certainly wouldn’t do an interview where her name is mentioned, that is for fucking sure!

Grosses are out.

1. What the hell were they thinking having Call Me Izzy play at Studio 54?

2. Gypsy gotta be out of here by Labor Day?

3. Can Hadestown and Book of Mormon close already to make room for new shit?

4. The Picture of Dorian Gray closes with 2M!

5. In their last week, Real Women Have Curves made more money than Dead Outlaw.

Maybe Happy Ending and Oh, Mary are doing solidly well and certainly aren't in any danger at all but I am surprised they haven't reached 2M post-Tonys.

[quote]r398 = 3. Can Hadestown and Book of Mormon close already to make room for new shit?

*What* new shit?

Does anyone know what Chicago’s bottom number has to be to stay open? I know it’s been running since 1996, so maybe they want to last in next year to say they ran 30 years, but those numbers are awful.

8 Inches keeps those bottoms open night after night.

Elaine Paige is at the opening of Evita tonite.

R401: Cheap, easy show to run, easy show to stunt cast, undesirable venue, etc.

[quote]Did she have that inexplicable southern accent as well? Did she sing every song like a gospel song like Audra did?

Interestingly, Montego did not have a trace of that odd Southern drawl Audra is doing. It does make one wonder how much of that was Audra's choice vs. George C. Wolf's direction.

I don't know if LaChanze is focusing on producing now, but I feel like she would have made an interesting Rose.

They should have gotten Fantasia.

[quote]Interestingly, Montego did not have a trace of that odd Southern drawl Audra is doing. It does make one wonder how much of that was Audra's choice vs. George C. Wolf's direction.

Also interesting that some of you are describing what Audra does as a "Southern drawl," when there's far more accurate phrasing for it than that. But I assume it's because some might consider the alternate phrasing offensive, even if it is more accurate?

[QUOTE] They should have gotten Fantasia

Oooo, she could actually be really good.

You can be sure all those powerhouse divas were offered Vacation Momma Rose and they all turned it down.

This is a dumb question but I seem to remember that some commercial used "One" from A CHORUS LINE to promote a product sometime in the 80s or 90s. I am blanking on what it is.....do any of you remember?

R399 $2m what? Gross for a week? They'd have to significantly increase ticket prices.

Both those shows are playing smaller houses with much smaller capacity.

GGR, Hamilton are both in 10k cap territory and Wicked and Lion King are in the 13k to 15k range.

The hilarious Hannah Solow is on as Mary Todd Lincoln tonite.

John Proctor is still selling out and they still seem to be set to close on Aug 31st.

That's two months away, r414.

Which isn't very far away. If they're extending, they'll need to announce it soon. You can't wait until the last minute.

Obviously we can't see what their ticket sales projections look like...maybe they're not great but still. It's selling out. Strange.

I saw the Color Purple at the Goodman in Chicago.

It was a fabulous production and the whole cast/crew did a great job.

If you are close to Chicago and can go, go!

The Color Purple is solid stage musical. It's not one of the greatest of all time, but it (obviously) has a great story. The adaptation sometimes oversimplifies things but you have a lot of plot plus songs to squeeze in. The songs are pretty good; Celie has a great 11 o'clock number. Hire a talented cast and a competent director and you have a great night of live musical theater.

[quote]Does anyone know what Chicago’s bottom number has to be to stay open? I know it’s been running since 1996, so maybe they want to last in next year to say they ran 30 years, but those numbers are awful.

CHICAGO is following the playbook that OH! CALCUTTA! created for its long run on Broadway. The producers have renegotiated all the royalties with the creative team so that they receive payment only on the weeks when the show generates revenue above the nut. Most of the cast is on or close to Broadway minimum, and the producers have renegotiated the number of crew down from the ones usually required for a house the size of the Ambassador. The cast and crew who have stayed with the show for a long time are happy to receive a regular paycheck - something not guaranteed on Broadway - and can pursue other interests, afford a mortgage for their condos in Upper Manhattan, Brooklyn, or homes in New Jersey, and enjoy a more stable financial situation. When the stunt cast works well, the dynamic pricing kicks in, and the producers make enough to cover the weeks when they lose. It's become the home for talented newcomers who need a Broadway credit, or old-timers who don't get cast in the newer shows but still have enough looks and talent to keep working. All of this is overseen by a stage manager and company manager who run the production with an iron fist, just as the producers require.

It's a great example of why the operative word in show business is BUSINESS, and why a lot of people leave commercial theater when they realize that art is not the driving force. At least, that's why I left.

R419, and then they take the job away and you are ruined. So much so that at least one person committed suicide

The creators are dumb to let it run like this forever. It tarnishes the show...it becomes "oh...that tired old corny Chicago...ugh"

R418, all of what you wrote about CHICAGO makes sense to me, except the following:

[quote]...the producers have renegotiated the number of crew down from the ones usually required for a house the size of the Ambassador.

How the hell did they manage THAT in the face of union opposition?

Since Jinkx helped boost their box office, surprised Chicago hasn't cast other drag stars as Mama Morton.

It's not a difficult role.

R422, the union crew at the Ambassador allowed it to happen. It was never a popular theater, and as a result, there were many weeks with no work. Each theater has a minimum crew assigned to it, which is expanded when a new show comes in. Now there's a long-running show, and they want to keep it running. The way to do that is to reduce the required number of crew and assign those jobs to old-timers (and their relatives) so that they can perform their tasks with a minimum of effort. These crew pressured the union to accept the deal, and the union won by having more employed hours on their books to show their members. From my experience, the crew was generally pleased with how it turned out.

For a similar story, look at the musicians who worked the entire run of PHANTOM both on the West End and in New York. They negotiated a deal with their union. When Phantom opened in the West End, it had a 27-member orchestra. When it closed in London, the orchestra was reduced to 14 musicians. Similarly, the Broadway production began with a 29-piece orchestra, which was later reduced to 27, and remained at that size until the show closed. Those few musicians who were cut, along with other cuts in the cast and crew, and reduced royalties to the creative team, created a much more reasonable nut that enabled these shows to run for a long time.

And, of course, the way this Chicago is designed - sets, costumes, lights - there's very little to run or maintain.

Broadway Box Office:

Debbie Allen is directing an August Wilson play? Oh Jesus...Did she get envious of her sister directing PURPOSE?

Hopefully she can interpolate something from this:

[quote] Tryphena sounds like the name of a medication.

I’ve lost 25 pounds since I’ve been on Tryphena!

London Palladium Hit ‘Evita’ Could Move Straight To Broadway:

[quote]I’ve lost 25 pounds since I’ve been on Tryphena!

Good for you, Beanie.

Broadway still doesn’t want you.

R429. They're already building a 'balcony' on the exterior of the St James.

[quote] They're already building a 'balcony' on the exterior of the St James.

Which tells you what people think the chances of The Queen of Versailles being a "hit" are.

Can someone tell me why the St James gets all these big shows that everyone wants to see when they have the worst leg room of any theatre?

I have seen so many shows at the St James and it is always a shitsho, going back from The Producers, Into the Woods, Sunset Blvd, Queen of Versailles and now Evita

R426: Deadline thinks Dead Outlaw earning 681K is going out with a bang?

[quote]Can someone tell me why the St James gets all these big shows that everyone wants to see when they have the worst leg room of any theatre?

Ever been in the balcony of Studio 54? That's not a patterned carpet up there, it's blood stains from scraped knees.

Prices for Evita will continue their wacko upward trajectory.

Saw Death Becomes Her. A friend really wanted to go. I didn't think it would be my thing. I was wrong. I found it a total delight. I'm actually surprised it's the first Broadway show for the composers and librettist. It may not be Pulitzer-worthy, but it's really well crafted musical comedy.

Satire is not your strong suit^

[quote]Debbie Allen is directing an August Wilson play? Oh Jesus...Did she get envious of her sister directing PURPOSE?

Debbie Allen and Phylicia Rashad should bring John Henry Redwood's THE OLD SETTLER to Broadway.

Set in 1940s Harlem, the play is about a spinster who romances her young hepcat boarder against the wishes of her newly separated sister who has come to live with her.

In the spring of 2001, Debbie directed a movie version they both starred in that aired on PBS.

It also co-starred the delicious Bumper Robinson.

I think it could be a hit with both of them in the lead roles and a sexy young actor as the lodger.

The Allen sisters have consistently supported each other throughout the years. It's refreshing.

For anyone who wants to see Montego this week BO rush Tix are $25 and digital rush is $30. This week only.

R441 yikes.

r439, the Allen sisters are in their mid-70s. Does the play examine the age differentiation between two elderly women and a hepcat?

I don't have the patience to watch all of The Old Settler but just getting a few glimpses, it seems beautifully produced, quite intriguing. Phylicia looks gorgeous.

Thanks for posting, r439.

The Allen Sisters are poised for a remount of Arsenic & Old Lace.

Or, "Snoop Sisters: The Musical!"

[quote][R439], the Allen sisters are in their mid-70s. Does the play examine the age differentiation between two elderly women and a hepcat?

In the play, the sisters are supposed to be in their fifties (the roomer in his twenties) but stage actors are always playing a decade or two younger, which is easy to get away with in a darkened theater and sitting several yards away.

Saw PIRATES! tonight and happy to report the whole cast was in. It's kind of a hot mess, but the audience was eating it up.

Was the theatre a hot mess as well? People are complaining about the air conditioning.

I'm not surprised that folks under 30 don't know Trollope.

R449 There's not that many folks OVER 30 who know Trollope.

At least in Amerika.

But enough about Sutton Foster, R449.

[quote] Was the theatre a hot mess as well? People are complaining about the air conditioning.

A/C was ok, not great - but it was on. (I like it freezing!)

Now, the sound mixing is another thing.... why is the orchestra so loud and the mics on the actors so low?

Is “You Must Love Me” included in the new Evita revival? Asking for a friend.

it was last time

Yes, "You Must Love Me" is included in the new London Palladium "Evita." It has been moved closer to the end than it was in the Ricky Martin-Elena Roger revival.

They've staged You Must Love Me this time as a freewheeling patio number.

All of Andrew Lloyd Webber's musicals are getting a remount...how long before we have to endure "Starlight Express: The Superspeed Boogaloo Edition"?

R456 and Karen Ziemba does handstands while Rachel sings!

[quote]Yes, "You Must Love Me" is included in the new London Palladium "Evita." It has been moved closer to the end than it was in the Ricky Martin-Elena Roger revival.

I didn't like how in that revival "You Must Love Me" was sandwiched between "Waltz for Eva and Che" and "She Is a Diamond."

It flows better and makes more sense if it's inserted between "Dice Are Rolling" and "Eva's Final Broadcast."

Where do they put it this time?

Not where you want it. But it’s just the tip.

And now Richard Greenberg has died.

Accomplished, prolific Tony Award-winning playwright of TAKE ME OUT, 3 DAYS OF RAIN, EASTERN STANDARD, THE VIOLET HOUR, THE AMERICAN PLAN, THE ASSEMBLED PARTIES and so much more.

RIP

I really liked EASTERN STANDARD a lot!

While I love You must love me... it is unnecessary... Eva should not be softened in the show

Did anyone here know Mark Brokaw? Was he nice, mean… what? I worked with him once at the start of his career but he didn’t strike me as either/or.

I worked with Mark B. a few times and found him a bit stand-offish and shy in a Midwestern kind of way socially, but an extremely caring, generous and intelligent director. Someone who really wanted to get the playwright's intentions onstage.

Mark was a quiet genius. A lovely, lovely man.

Greenberg lived in my building. An odd duck…

“You must love me” kills the flow of the stage musical. Why do they feel they have to include it?

No one know it anyway

Greenberg lived in that building on W23rd St. for decades. He could often be found at the Moonstruck Diner just up the street.

A different Richard Greenberg died, not the playwright.

Just came here after seeing Greenberg's death announced on Mark Harris's social media....but based on R470's post he may have the wrong Richard......

Eh, never mind. Hey R470, look at the date of your link, it's from 2018.

Maybe they can drench Aspects of Love performers in paint or blood to liven up that dreary show.

[quote]r468 “You must love me” kills the flow of the stage musical. Why do they feel they have to include it?

Something I remember from the movie is that the last section was SO drawn out! The LAST thing it needed there was another ballad.

We're ready for Eva to die by then. Just die, bitch. Die.

Just Die Another Day already...

R469 your info is way out of date.

[quote] There's not that many folks OVER 30 who know Trollope.

I’ve never known where to start with Trollope.

I just read what was at hand - The Eustace Diamonds.

What's weird is so much of the pleasure with period pieces is the descriptions of the clothes and scenery and stuff... where you might really feel you're entering another world. Trollope hardly describes any of that stuff.

I don't feel compelled to read anything by him again.

Just watch the tv versions

Must say, Rachel Zegler sounds sensational here.

[quote]“You must love me” kills the flow of the stage musical. Why do they feel they have to include it?

The only reason it was written for the movie was so that the film would be eligible for a best song Oscar nomination.

R481 which it won.

- "Because You Loved Me" from UP CLOSE & PERSONAL

- "For the First Time" from ONE FINE DAY

- "I Finally Found Someone" from THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES

- "That Thing You Do!" from THAT THING YOU DO!

- "You Must Love Me" from EVITA **winner**

[quote]- "I Finally Found Someone" from THE MIRROR HAS TWO FACES

THE MIRROR HAS TWO FILTERS

(ftfy)

That Thing You Do should have won. It was catchy, well crafted and organic to the story. Not for the credits or to gin up an award.

Madge gave both Sondheim and ALW their Oscars. Not bad for a movie killer.

With Trollope, start with The Warden. It's short, and if you don't like it, you probably won't like the rest.

r480

she really does... Are they doing a cast recording?

Looks like Rachel has found a role and a production that fits her quite well.

Next stop: the Great White Way. I smell a Tony.

Aspects of Love was revived in London s few years ago. It was a terrible production that was badly cast, badly directed and had revisions that made the show worse instead of better. The limited run ended three months early.

Huge Trollope fan here but The Eustace Diamonds is not one of my favorites (also where Trollope's anti-Semitism is most apparent).

My personal picks are his masterpiece The Way We Live Now, He Knew He Was Right and Orley Farm. The first two have brilliant all UK-Star BBC adaptations. But they're all very long. Two of his shorter novels that I love are The Vicar of Bullhampton and The Belton Estate - both excellent places to begin reading Trollope.

Why are we discussing Trollope on the Theatre Gossip thread/

r476, out of date?

I wasn't writing a breaking news article. Simply talking about where Rich Greenberg spent many decades of his life.

Because “that building” in your post is a reference to my post and my building, which is not on 23rd street. Capice? R469

Evita was revived by Diane Paulus at ART recently but it went nowhere.

An official obit

Wow. So the playwright Greenberg really is dead.

Sad to say, for the most part, I hated his plays

That obit may or may not be considered "official," as news of the death is at this point based only on social media posts from friends of Greenberg, and there is no death date or cause given, etc. Not that I doubt Greenberg is dead, but all the pertinent info is not in yet.

Jean Smart out of Izzy this afternoon

Is she dead too??!

She better be.

I saw that London revival of Aspects of Love two years ago, and it was so bad I thought I was having a stroke. It’a just so weirdly plotted that had no idea what was going on, and then it all just ends rather abruptly.

Wild.

Funny how both Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sondheim have had mini-renaissances. In Sondheim’s case, the revivals were most successful with straightforward, text-based interpretations. With Lloyd Webber, the most successful revivals have ignored the text altogether and created a wholly different show.

Was "Butch" Michael Ball still using Broadway's favorite Royal stagehand HRH Princess a Windsor as his personal dumpster!!! Hated Aspects of Love back then too.

The blowjobs were nice.

^^^I forgot the " A"^^^

OK-my laptop is possessed-I typed the name twice-only the A showed up!!

Go away for a whole.

r492, sorry, I don't know where you live(d) but the Rich Greenberg who I worked with on 4 productions lived in a big old building on W23rd St. between 8th and 9th Aves. for many years (at least the 20+ years when I worked with him). As I said upthread we'd often meet for coffee and work at the Moonstruck Diner down the block.

Maybe Patti Lupone and Mia Farrow can do their version of the female Odd Couple. (In a nursing home.)

I wonder how ALW's new musical The Illusionist is coming along? Jamie Lloyd is directing. It sounds like a cousin to Phantom of the Opera. I know they wanted Ariana Grande to play the female lead. I doubt she would want to be tied to a stage show for a whole year.

With director Lloyd, writers Terrio and Major on board, the next important step is to find someone to create the illusions for The Illusionist. There’s an illusion, Lloyd Webber divulges, “where we can literally disappear somebody in front of the audience,” and there are a couple of other coup de théâtre magical moments that will need to be developed. ”They’re not a huge part of the show, but they’re a very important part of the show,” he explains, but they need to be designed at the “get-go.”

Harrison adds: “Whoever the magic person is, and we don’t know who it is yet, they’ll be heavily involved because it’s very important, obviously, if you’re doing a show called The Illusionist, that there be good illusions.”

*

R506 you referenced my post. I don’t live on 23rd st. Neither does Richard; he lived in the same building for over20 years. You can stop now; thanks in advance.

It's the Fifth of July. Or in Lanford Wilson's world, 5th of July. Is it done any more or worth reviving? I saw it on Broadway with Richard Thomas (heartbreaking), Swoozie Kurtz (hilarious) and Jeff Daniels (dreamy). An excellent night out.

Read my mind!

[quote]R500 It was so bad I thought I was having a stroke.

Oh, my.

Well, there’s a review I’ve never read before!

[quote]R507 Maybe Patti Lupone and Mia Farrow can do their version of the female Odd Couple. (In a nursing home.)

I hope so. I am very intrigued by the idea of big stars being trapped in threadbare revivals of Neil Simon’s shitty plays.

Jen Aniston and Courtney Loves Cox for a Netflix remake of The Odd Couple, ployse!

Titus out of both Marys today. Smart out of Izzy again tonite and tomorrow. Is there any other reason to see the play?

Maybe Titus and Jean were at the same BBQ and ate some nasty potato salad?

I'm too lazy to go look....if Smart is out of Izzy, do they just cancel the show or does she have a standby?

R517. Was the BBQ at Audra's house?

R519 Audra only serves Chipotle at her parties.

It's in her contract.

R499 was Annie Potts.

I also love r514 referring to Patti LuPone as a big star!

And that’s just her nose!

Johanna Day is Jean Smart's understudy/standby.

R523 So when Jean is out, do they ring her up and sing, "We need you, Johanna ..."?

Oh, I would definitely see that, R523. Day stopped the show in How I Learned to Drive a couple of years ago with her big monologue. I thought she should have been nominated for that; she was superb.

R502, are your posts usually so inscrutable?

[quote]I also love R514 referring to Patti LuPone as a big star! — Kecia

Don’t test me, girl! You’re not to old to be shoved in some dreadful musical version of THE MARRYING MAN.

17 year okd Emma Kok, who has.a serious chronic illness, performing a song from the musical Elisabeth on a Dutch reality competition series called Stars On Stage. Wow. The show’s host is hot looking. Could be a pocket gay.

Apparently, you can get dirt cheap tickets to catch Montego Glover in Gypsy for the remainder of her run. I saw her first performance. She was very good... but she isn't doing anything remarkable or must-see in the role. And, yes, her voice is much better suited for the role than Audra's, but, it's still not a homerun in that regard.

But if you're local and have a free evening... well worth seeing her.

Yes, the Telecharge Rush tickets are $30 for Montego/Gypsy. Box Office Rush is $25. I'm pretty sure you could get a rush ticket at curtain time, the last two rows of the orchestra were empty last night.

I can't always keep up with these threads. Did we already discuss the Kiss of the Spider Woman trailer? What was the reaction? I was... underwhelmed. It definitely looks modestly budgeted.

Without Audra, no one wants to see any production of Gypsy

R511

"I told you he had a wooden leg!"

"Oh I just thought you meant he liked to drink a lot!"

R532 you are forgiven for your grammar error. The correct writing of your sentence is “With Audra”

Let's get back to basics...

Speaking of FOLLIES, did anyone else see the recent Q&A interview with Kelli O’Hara about her part in “The Gilded Age” getting meatier this season?

She seems like an intelligent, lovely woman. Anyway at the end, after talking about theater being her great love but how you have to now get known in other media to be seen as someone who can carry a Broadway show, she’s asked if she has had a hankering to play Sally in FOLLIES, and she replies that she and Laura Benanti talk about doing it together and switching off on the parts of Phyllis and Sally the way Laura Linney and Cynthia Nixon did with “The Little Foxes.”

I can see it.

Kelli would be a great Sally. Perfect casting.

Why does the r528 actress refuse to sing in English?

Ah yes! A revival of Follies starring Laura Benanti and Kelli O’Hara would absolutely LIGHT the box office on fire!

With a stunt-casting of one of the roles (maybe Carlotta?), it absolutely could, R539.

The NT production was magnificent and should have transferred to Broadway.

R538, Elisabeth is a Viennese musical and she’s singjng the Dutch translation of the main power ballad in it.

R540 But not with elderly osycho Munchkin Imelda.

Kristin Chenoweth needs to play Sally Plummer before she’s too old.

Yeah, I’ve always wanted to see a Looney Tunes Follies.

I can actually see Kristin and Idina as sally and Phyllis. Vanessa Williams as Carlotta.

Raul Esparza as Ben. Norbert Leo Butz as Buddy.

Kristin is too short for Follies.

Idina is too oddlooking. Ben's not marrying THAT.

[quote]Funny how both Andrew Lloyd Webber and Sondheim have had mini-renaissances. In Sondheim’s case, the revivals were most successful with straightforward, text-based interpretations. With Lloyd Webber, the most successful revivals have ignored the text altogether and created a wholly different show.

If Andy wants straightforward, text-based interpretations of his works, he can get them the same way Sondheim did

He can die

Like Gypsy, no one wants to see Follies ever again

Bless your heart, r549.

R549 Agreed.

I'd love to see a good live production of Follies.

My shocking admission: I've never seen it live.

It's not done a lot.

I saw Bernadette’s revival at the Kennedy Center with DL fave Linda Lavin.

People routinely rip Bernadette to shreds, but I loved her and the production!

r552 Head to San Diego.

R553, I agree on Bernadette in Follies. In my view, she was much better at the Kennedy Center than on Broadway, where the entire cast was over- and mis- directed. In DC, she was driven to get what she had missed out on. In New York, she was depressed and teary from her start. However, Jan Maxwell didn’t let Schaeffer get in her way. She was fantastic all four times I saw the show.

[quote]People routinely rip Bernadette to shreds, but I loved her and the production!

That production of "Follies" was directed by Eric Schaeffer, who's pretty much a hack.

Bernadette’s raspy, failing voice was perfect for character in Follies

A hack who was justifiably canceled and never heard from again, r556.

FOLLIES lends itself to a lot of bad graphics.

See R554

^^^OP. Why a lot of bad graphics about FOLLIES^^^ PLEASE EXPLAIN.

[quote]I can't always keep up with these threads. Did we already discuss the Kiss of the Spider Woman trailer? What was the reaction? I was... underwhelmed. It definitely looks modestly budgeted.

Looks cheap. It's been de-musicalized like "Cabaret" where all the characters songs have been thrown out except for Jlo's as she sings in a movie.

Honestly, Kiss of the Spider Woman completely sucks as a musical. I'm fine with cutting most of its stupid songs

There are JLo fans insisting she's gonna get an Oscar!

It was a VERY long time ago (I was in jr high school), but I recall being captivated by the national tour of Kiss of the Spider Woman -- Hal Prince's cinematic direction, Kander & Ebb's strongest score since Chicago and, to quote Rupaul, Chita's charisma, uniqueness, nerve and talent made for a pretty thrilling evening in the theatre.

Why does Eva look like she just came from the gym?

Damn, based on Aaron Tveit's emaciated appearance in recent publicity photos for CHESS, it looks like that boy seriously needs to eat an overstuffed sandwich.

You bitches are slipping!

We officially have a Sunday Matinee ROSE!

[quote]There are JLo fans insisting she's gonna get an Oscar!

Oh she will fight tooth and nail for it, she'll be everywhere but the mystery will be for Best Actress or Supporting.

It’s not a big enough part for Lopez to get a Best Actress nod, even if she has top billing. And her acting in the film-within-a-film (the only time she appears) can’t be good enough to get into that category. Any nomination would depend on her singing and dancing chops and how much her glamour and presence dominates the movie, not acting.

Supporting would be the most she could hope for a la Catherine Zeta-Jones in “Chicago.”

R567 - Obviously, they should have done this from the start. Montego gives a very good performance and now she'll have time beyond this week to deepen that performance. I was pleasantly surprised that she wasn't forced to just try and replicate Audra's... um... unique take on the role, too.

I'm mesmerized by the arms of Juan Peron.

Montego's Roses

Don’t get her appeal at all. I saw Into the Woods with Patina Miller, who was fine. Then I saw if later in the run. Montego Glover somehow managed to take the luster off a lackluster interpretation. These clips make me want to see Audra again.

J.Lo also has the disadvantage of not being popular. It does tend to hurt you when vying for industry awards.

Laurie Metcalf back on Broadway, produced by Scott Rudin and directed by the “retired” Joe Mantello.

It's a shame that Patina Miller retired from Broadway?

I look at those Evita clips and I'm totally baffled why anyone would want to see that shit. Or how any of the reviews were positive.

The world really is ready to end.

From that excerpt, Glovver seems the most refined Rose I've ever heard. Does she lay on the thick dialect favored by Audra when Rose's Turn comes around?

No, Montego does not attempt any of Audra's dialect, at least not during last week's performances.

[quote]From that excerpt, Glovver seems the most refined Rose I've ever heard. Does she lay on the thick dialect favored by Audra when Rose's Turn comes around?

Audra uses that dialect throughout the performance, though it's more exaggerated in some scenes than others. I've laughed when I've read some people describe it as a "Southern drawl." I guess they think it would be politically incorrect to call it what it is: an African-American dialect that's definitely not limited to the South, even if it originated there.

r578 - refined is a good word. I saw Montego's first performance and she spoke in a somewhat refined manner. I actually thought it made sense in the context of a Black woman navigating early 20th century America and desperate for respect and status. There were a few moments in which Montego would let some more rawness through... almost like cracks in the facade.. which was quite effective. I don't know that I can fairly judge literally her first performance in front of an audience. It wasn't all there yet... but it had the foundations of what could turn out to be a very strong Rose as she gets more performances under her belt.

Has anyone seen Tryphena? I'm now very curious about how she compares to Audra and Montego.

Madame Rose was a real person and she was NOT African American. Sorry, folks.

Lord, I despise Jamie Lloyd. That clip at R565 looks wretched.

It does, but that clip that someone posted of Rainbow High from earlier actually looked great. Rachel sounded sensational in that one, too. But is everything but Don't Cry for Me staged like a concert?

Real Broadway is dead. Full blown Broadway stars won't perform their roles a full weak anymore. Don't feel like working today, hey, call out.

[quote]Audra uses that dialect throughout the performance, though it's more exaggerated in some scenes than others. I've laughed when I've read some people describe it as a "Southern drawl." I guess they think it would be politically incorrect to call it what it is: an African-American dialect that's definitely not limited to the South, even if it originated there.

R580 - what is the precise term to describe the dialect she's doing? "African American" if far too broad. Black people weren't then and aren't now a monolith. Whether it has Southern origins or not, it does sound very rural and suggests lower socio economic status. All of which COULD work for Rose, until Audra opens her mouth to sing and this refined operatic'esque soprano comes out. I don't think you can separate her speaking voice from her singing voice and they seem at odds in this performance.

When it's time, here's the next thread.

The guys in EVITA look hot

I'm sure I'll be shrugged off as a pedant for this, but . . . I hate it when people refer to the vocal shifts McDonald's using as "going into her soprano." Those pitches are well within the range of virtually any Broadway belter. Call it "head voice" or (in a few cases) a "legit" sound, fine. But soprano per se it ain't.

That's fine, R589. But I think you know that when people do that they're referring to the qualities / timbre / tone / character of her singing voice, not the specific notes she's hitting.

Of course I know that, R590. I offered clearer, more accurate ways to say exactly that. Oh, well.

Things like this make me think of Sondheim's comment “The sad truth is that musicals are the only public art form reviewed mostly by ignoramuses.”

[quote]Madame Rose was a real person and she was NOT African American. Sorry, folks.

Thanks for educating us, R582.

Gosh, a year ago we were speculating on Audra and her inevitable 7th Tony. What has erupted from her casting instead are ongoing and lengthy conversations on vocal registers, performing stamina, frequency of absences, regional/racial dialects, and .... what am I missing? Who knew lil ol GYPSY would end up as such a source of debate.

Her awful costumes and wig, r593?

Audra uses that same Southern/African-American cadence in The Gilded Age. I'm surprised no one's mentioned it yet.

But then so does Denee Benton, John Douglas Thompson and now, Phylicia Rashad.

It's kind of the equivalent of the phony mid-Atlantic accent the white actors use (except for Alarm Clock Jack).

No, you could see it a mile away. People went on about how she couldn’t belt, how Mama Rose couldn’t be black, how 6 Tonys were enough. People who knew what they were talking about could see that Nicole Scherzinger would be serious competition (though I personally disagree in heart, mind, and soul).

One thing I was certain about? The Chipotle jokes, delivered with the decades-expired wit of those who say “ex-squeeze me” as they grope men at parties.

Hilty returning to DBH on Wed. She'll be playing 5 shows a week for the next few weeks. Then she'll return to her usual 6 shows a week since the show opened.

Honestly, Hilty and Simard's understudies in DBH are great. Don't hesitate to see them if you have tickets and you find out, inevitably, one or both of them is out.

Closing this thread out ...

BAJOUR!

GYPSY!